In 2012, a new type of highly scalable, low-power, and bio-plausible neuron circuit, termed “Neuristor” by its inventors, has emerged. Such neurons or neuron circuits are made of two closely coupled relaxation oscillators. Each oscillator emulate a certain type of voltage-controlled ion channel (e.g. Na+, K+, etc.) in a nerve cell. A specific type of relaxation oscillator, Pearson-Anson oscillator, composed of 3 elements: 1 active memristor, 1 reactive component (capacitor), and 1 resistor, was used as the key building block. It was shown that such a coupled relaxation oscillator circuitry can be used as an axon hillock circuitry to generate excitatory action potentials. (For reference, see DOI: 10.1038/NMAT3510, also see U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,324,976 B2; 8,669,785 B2).
However, there is yet no demonstration of an integrated “Neuristor” circuit. The aforementioned reference of DOI: 10.1038/NMAT3510 was demonstrated using discrete devices and breadboard level connections. Although the same author filed a U.S. Pat. No. 8,729,518 B2: Multilayer structure based on a negative differential resistance material, it only provided some overview and functional bock diagrams of hypothetical integrated “Neuristor” circuitries, but did not include any detailed IC structure, layout, or process flow for foundry-compatible fabrication.